Misdiagnosis: A follow up on the statistics of Autism

Recently, two online sites have stated a much more common ratio of either Autism or Asperger’s. Although this ratio is hugely low balled to the more common 1 in 100 rate that many people have been used to seeing since 2010, several professionals and parents have expressed the seriousness of how many children and even adults have gone without the proper diagnosis.

Because Asperger’s is a slight form of Autism its symptoms are not that severe. Many stress how common it is that these symptoms are ignored throughout a childs lifetime. Such symptoms that are being mistaken for not being Asperger’s is depression, ADHD, and anxiety disorder. Along with Asperger’s is a spectrum of many other ranges of autistic disorder, Rett disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS] all mild forms of Autism. It is stated that many people can lead well-adjusted lives with Asperger’s and that the ratio could be as more common than expected with a 1 in 5 ratio. This 1 in 5 ratio is counting any spectrum level related to this disorder.

There has been many complaints by parents stating that it is difficult to get a diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome by their medical professionals. Since the complaints of recent parents there is now several online CAST tests (Childhood Autism Syndrome Tests) available for parents with concerns with either Asperger’s or Autism. Although this is not an official diagnosis from a medical professional it can sometimes give an parent a piece of mind to whether their child has the symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome.

With the now high rise in depression and ADHD alone the possibility of many of these people being incorrectly diagnosed is one to consider. With a known 1 in 100 rate of Autism how many have been either incorrectly diagnosed or not diagnosed at all? It is presumed with the spike in children being diagnosed yearly with ADHD that the possibility of a hugely higher ratio of Asperger’s should be expected.